For me, this was truly the most difficult blog we have been assigned. The death of an innocent person is beyond reason. We would like to think of the college campus as being a sort of "safe haven," a place where young minds are challenged to add to the knowledge of our world. Unfortunately, we know this is not true. The recent shooting on the University of Alabama - Huntsville seemed to put on exclamation point on this fact.
As I was researching the occurrence of school shootings, I was amazed at the numbers. During my search, I came upon a listing of school shootings throughout the world. The file includes incidents at both high school and college campuses. If you care to look, the list is located at:
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0777958.html
I tried to focus my research on prevention, and found more information than I would have imagined. From the Department of Justice to private organizations, everyone has suggestions on how to prevent such a tragedy. The one I found most interesting was written by Brett A. Sokolow, J.D. Dr. Sokolow is the President and founder of the National Center for Higher Education Risk Management (http://www.ncherm.org/) . Here is a summary of what he had to say.
After each campus shooting incident, we seem to come up with another idea of how to prevent these tragedies. After the Virginia Tech incident, everyone began to resort to "gadgets" as a method of prevention. This probably didn't bother the text message industry, as they made huge financial gains with their technology. The security camera suppliers were even more appreciative.
One of the proposals Dr. Sokolow spoke about was the idea of locking the classroom doors. As he pointed out, although financial feasible, this would not be very effective. The shooter could be a student in the classroom, or could just walk in behind another student who belongs in the classroom. Even if it was possible to “lockout” the shooter, he or she would simply choose a more open venue, such as a student union or another open area.
The idea of security cameras has also been discussed on many college campuses, but his would only serve to provide the evening news with live footage of the tragedy. It may assist with apprehension of the offender, but would do little for the victim. Rather that using gizmos and gadgets, Dr. Sokolow and the National Center for Higher Education Risk Management advocate behavioral intervention as the best practice approach to preventing campus shooting incidents.
The study of aggression generally divides aggressors into two types – the Primal Aggressor and the Cognitive Aggressor. For the sake of simplicity, an example of a Primal Aggressor would be a father who snaps after he learns that the neighbor’s son has raped his daughter. However, school shooters are seldom ever of this type. This individual is more methodical and execute his or her plan with precision. They are the Cognitive Aggressor type.
Dr. Sokolow goes into great detail on the training and methods of an effective behavioral intervention team. His philosophy is not to put out the fire, but to prevent it from ever happening.
The entire paper can be found at:
http://www.ncherm.org/pdfs/2009NCHERMwhitepaper.pdf
I highly recommend that each of you take the time to read it.
After completing my research, I did what I do when I need to reflect. I wrote a poem. I know, I don't need to quit my day job! I just sometimes find it the best way to express my feelings.
How?
There must be a way to stop the madness.
The innocence lost and all the sadness.
Here to learn, to brighten their future.
Each one is different, each one has a place.
A lifetime of hope to be shared with the world,
A young mind determined to continue the chase.
There must be a way to stop the madness.
The innocence lost and all the sadness.
Some call them rowdy, careless, and crazy.
Too young to imagine how the “real world” is run.
“They live for the ballgames and weekends and parties.”
They’re young and their free and just having fun.
There must be a way to stop the madness.
The innocence lost and all the sadness.
They entered college on a path to the future.
They met friends, joined clubs, even found a new mate.
Their minds were expanding, trying to take it all in.
How could anyone ever imagined this was their fate?
There must be a way to stop the madness.
The innocence lost and all the sadness.
Someone’s brother, or sister or cousin.
Someone’s daughter and someone’s friend.
The tears are for all, the tears are for many.
The tears have not stopped, for they’re just beginning.
There must be a way to stop the madness.
The innocence lost and all the sadness.
He never saw the gun or the flash of light.
This can’t be happening, this is insane.
A life extinguished, so young and so bright.
So much to lose, and now nothing to gain.
There must be a way to stop the madness.
The innocence lost and all the sadness.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Tired of Being "Politically Correct"
Our assignment this week was to look for an issue on a campus having to do with freedom of speech. In searching the FIRE website, I found numerous topics of interest, many having to do with free speech on the internet. These interested me, but seemed so prevalent that I continued to search for something a little more unique. My quest led me to an article that, shall we say, sparked my patriotic interest. No, that really isn’t a true statement. The fact is that it made me so angry my blood pressure began to rise!
The issue involved San Francisco State University in a matter that not only involved freedom of speech, but also patriotism to our country. In a small anti-terrorism protest, the student Republican organization stomped on pieces of paper upon which they had drawn replicas of the flags of the radical Islamic organizations of Hamas and Hezbollah.
Much to my chagrin, we all know that desecration of the American flag was held constitutional in the United States Supreme Court case of Texas v. Johnson. So why is this case any different? Well, it seems that the flags also contained the word “Allah” in Arabic script. Even though the students were completely unaware of this fact, they were charged with “incivility” and creating “a hostile environment” by attempting to desecrate Allah.
Let’s be honest. The charges brought against these students had nothing to do with freedom of speech or religious intolerance. This is a case of “political correctness.” Would the same stance have been taken if the flags were from a non-Islamic country? Not likely. Perhaps the Muslims should be more concerned with the terrorists who use the name of Allah as an excuse for their atrocities against humankind.
I am a patriotic American that believes in the Constitution of our country. My son, along with many other sons and daughters, has risked his life in an effort to protect our country from the global terrorism that has breached the borders of our country. I am fed up with “political correctness.” I am sick of our leaders not standing up to those who are making it their agenda to demolish the very foundation of our country. America has long been known for welcoming those from all nations, but not for the purpose of destroying it.
This is America. We can fight to preserve the nation we love, or we can continue with our “politically correct” agenda and watch as those that despise the very foundation upon which we were founded destroy us. Right now we still have a choice.
The complete FIRE article can be read at: http://www.thefire.org/article/8237.html The Chronicle of Higher Education published an article which you can locate at: http://www.thefire.org/article/8214.html
The issue involved San Francisco State University in a matter that not only involved freedom of speech, but also patriotism to our country. In a small anti-terrorism protest, the student Republican organization stomped on pieces of paper upon which they had drawn replicas of the flags of the radical Islamic organizations of Hamas and Hezbollah.
Much to my chagrin, we all know that desecration of the American flag was held constitutional in the United States Supreme Court case of Texas v. Johnson. So why is this case any different? Well, it seems that the flags also contained the word “Allah” in Arabic script. Even though the students were completely unaware of this fact, they were charged with “incivility” and creating “a hostile environment” by attempting to desecrate Allah.
Let’s be honest. The charges brought against these students had nothing to do with freedom of speech or religious intolerance. This is a case of “political correctness.” Would the same stance have been taken if the flags were from a non-Islamic country? Not likely. Perhaps the Muslims should be more concerned with the terrorists who use the name of Allah as an excuse for their atrocities against humankind.
I am a patriotic American that believes in the Constitution of our country. My son, along with many other sons and daughters, has risked his life in an effort to protect our country from the global terrorism that has breached the borders of our country. I am fed up with “political correctness.” I am sick of our leaders not standing up to those who are making it their agenda to demolish the very foundation of our country. America has long been known for welcoming those from all nations, but not for the purpose of destroying it.
This is America. We can fight to preserve the nation we love, or we can continue with our “politically correct” agenda and watch as those that despise the very foundation upon which we were founded destroy us. Right now we still have a choice.
The complete FIRE article can be read at: http://www.thefire.org/article/8237.html The Chronicle of Higher Education published an article which you can locate at: http://www.thefire.org/article/8214.html
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
What Will Be the Cost?
What will be the cost of losing the personal, face-to-face interaction in college life?
When I sat down to write about the college student and community, I found myself feeling like I was somewhat lost in today’s sense of community. Being “slightly” older than most college students, I fear my thoughts may seem somewhat outdated to most of you. But here goes…
When I visualize the word “community,” I see a group of people with a common interest sharing their lives with one another. The basis of a community is having something in common – a common place, a common interest, a common distinction. Technology has most certainly had a tremendous impact on how the college student communicates, thus impacting the meaning of community. The internet, email, social networking, and the like are rapidly replacing the personal communication. Sure, social networking may possibly be increasing the size of the social circle, but each individual has only the information which the other person decides to release. Putting thoughts on paper or sending them via some other form of technological communication cannot completely replace the value of face-to-face contact. No matter how personal the written word, it cannot replace the true emotion found when looking into someone’s eyes. This is true whether you are talking to a friend or trying to relate something to your instructor. Be honest, how many times have your tried to write an email and were afraid your written words might be taken the wrong way? It happens to all of us.
There is much to be lost if we take the physical community out of college life. My favorite quote about community comes from the well known author, D. H. Lawrence who wrote, “He thought that, because the community represents millions of people, therefore it must be millions of times more important than the individual, forgetting that the community is an abstraction from the many, and is not the many themselves.” The campus community is not the entity itself, but rather the individuals who make up the community. The campus community is essential in maintaining the true feeling of belonging to a university. It can be a fraternity or sorority, a floor in a dormitory, a social organization, friends from your class, or those special friends that get together to plan their weekend together. The bonds developed on the campus community will never be replaced by the virtual community. They will simply be lost.
"…The University is buildings, trees and people. Ole Miss is mood, emotion and personality. One is physical, and the other is spiritual. One is tangible and the other intangible. The University is respected, but Ole Miss is loved. The University gives a diploma and regretfully terminates tenure, but one never graduates from Ole Miss." Frank E. Everett, Jr.
When I sat down to write about the college student and community, I found myself feeling like I was somewhat lost in today’s sense of community. Being “slightly” older than most college students, I fear my thoughts may seem somewhat outdated to most of you. But here goes…
When I visualize the word “community,” I see a group of people with a common interest sharing their lives with one another. The basis of a community is having something in common – a common place, a common interest, a common distinction. Technology has most certainly had a tremendous impact on how the college student communicates, thus impacting the meaning of community. The internet, email, social networking, and the like are rapidly replacing the personal communication. Sure, social networking may possibly be increasing the size of the social circle, but each individual has only the information which the other person decides to release. Putting thoughts on paper or sending them via some other form of technological communication cannot completely replace the value of face-to-face contact. No matter how personal the written word, it cannot replace the true emotion found when looking into someone’s eyes. This is true whether you are talking to a friend or trying to relate something to your instructor. Be honest, how many times have your tried to write an email and were afraid your written words might be taken the wrong way? It happens to all of us.
There is much to be lost if we take the physical community out of college life. My favorite quote about community comes from the well known author, D. H. Lawrence who wrote, “He thought that, because the community represents millions of people, therefore it must be millions of times more important than the individual, forgetting that the community is an abstraction from the many, and is not the many themselves.” The campus community is not the entity itself, but rather the individuals who make up the community. The campus community is essential in maintaining the true feeling of belonging to a university. It can be a fraternity or sorority, a floor in a dormitory, a social organization, friends from your class, or those special friends that get together to plan their weekend together. The bonds developed on the campus community will never be replaced by the virtual community. They will simply be lost.
"…The University is buildings, trees and people. Ole Miss is mood, emotion and personality. One is physical, and the other is spiritual. One is tangible and the other intangible. The University is respected, but Ole Miss is loved. The University gives a diploma and regretfully terminates tenure, but one never graduates from Ole Miss." Frank E. Everett, Jr.
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